Transcript pre_rpt.ppt

• Numbers
• Decimals
• Percentages
Numbers
3.64 (three point six four)
76% (seventy-six percent) 32.84% (thirty-two point
eight four percent)
• Totals
the total is. . . that comes to. . . for a total of. . .
• Fractions
one half, one third, one quarter, one twelfth
• Math symbols + plus, - minus or negative, (. . .) loss, X or * times,
/ divide, = equals, > greater than, < smaller than
• Approximations adj.: rough, very near, estimated, relative; nearly
accurate, almost exact, inexact
verb: rough, very near, estimated, relative; nearly
accurate, almost exact, inexact.
• Rates & ratios 1 per 250 units; 1 out of 250 units; 1 in 250 units
billions
thousands
cents/
pence
(p5)
835,317,709,163.43
millions
hundreds
and
Meeting People

First intros
• Good afternoon. My name is Clyde Warden. I’m the sales director
for Avon’s Taiwan division.
• Let me introduce myself.
• Here is my business card. That’s my company there.
• I don’t think we have been introduced yet.
• What do you do? Where are you from (based)?

Forget a name?
• I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name. . .
• Mr. . . . Smith . . .
• Could you tell me your name again?

Shake hands & exchange bus. cards (be prepared)
Use of Signals

Introducing subject
• . . . I’m going to talk about . . .

Referring to
• First of all, let’s look at . . .
• As you can see from the graph . . .

Sequencing
• The next quarter showed continued growth . . .
• We can also see this trend in the Asian division . . .

Changing topic
• Finally, let’s look . . .
• Now, if we turn to . . .
• This is in contrast to the most recent quarter . . .

Concluding
• In conclusion . . .
p10-17
Companies

Describe current projects
• currently, presently, at the moment, as of last year, we now have,
with more than, while...we also (p6-7)

Exchange numerical information
• nearly, equal to, three times, great majority, next largest (p4)

Ask/answer questions about facilities
• how do you, what do you think of, could you explain, what are you
doing
• first, second, most importantly, what I can tell you is, that is a good
question, at this time (p8)
Trends

Upward movement

• rise, increase, go up, climb

•
•
•
•
fictional, marginally, a degree
slightly, a little, a bit
somewhat, clearly
considerably, substantially,
significantly
• a great deal, far, much,
dramatically
Downward movement
• fall, drop, decline, decrease

Stable (no change)
• level, is stable, remains stable

Fluctuate (change)
• fluctuate, peak, movement in a
narrow range
Intensifiers & softeners

Rates of change
• gradual, steady
• dramatic, sharp, rapid,
dangerous, soar, dive
Trends


Make sure you understand the trends before talking about
them
Look at the numbers, not just the charts
• Describe changes in finance
– fell, rose, increased, decreased, went down
p29
• Analyze figures & give reasons for changes
– spent, lost, gained, invested, borrowed, took, gave, cost, spending,
turnover,
• Growth of MNC (Multinational Company)
– market share, market penetration, distribution, agreement, joint
venture,
p14
Comparison, contrast & similarity

Comparison (the 2 topics must be very clear!)
• higher /lower than, larger/smaller than, the highest/lowest,
compared to
• Intensifiers & softeners
– much, a great deal, rather, considerably, slightly, far, a little

Contrast (the 2 topics must be very clear!)
• although, despite, in spite of the fact that, whereas, however,
nevertheless, in contrast to, on the other hand, on the contrary, . .
.while. . ., . . .against. . ., . . .compared to. . ., in comparison to

Similarity (the 2 topics must be very clear!)
• both, like, the same is, is similar to, neither . . . nor, similarly
Comparing Information

Sales report
• Sales is the volume and type of product sold to customers
• Sales do not mean profit
• High sales may not equal good news

Economic performance in different countries
• MNCs operate in many countries
• Explain clearly the status of different countries

p22
p39
Statistical representations
• Numbers in presentations confuse people
• Listing the numbers may be important
• Show the numbers in ways people can understand
– percentages
– ratios
– ranks
p32
Reference Words

Pronouns (and other reference words) must have a clear
noun which they represent.
• Words like: its, whose, that, which, they, this, those, each, etc.


It is best to avoid using many of these words
Try using the noun, or a synonym for the noun
• our company, the firm, the business, etc.

Being clear is very important, even when the subject
content is very complex as in the McDonald’s example
p37
Planning

Quantity
• While you may not know all the number before you begin, a
business plan should clearly show the figures you plan on

Predictions
• Giving exact figures here may make people think you are not being
honest
• Predicting trends is more helpful than exact numbers

Advice
• Tell what should be done in context of “if you want X you can do Y”

Schedule
• Time is one of the most important factors in business
• Exact dates are less important than time frames (starting/ending)
and spans
p2-3
• Often use the year and Quarter 99Q3
Example of planning (bad news)

1998 EXPECTATIONS

As indicated in the above comments, we continue to drive toward profitability as a result of ongoing expense
management combined with improvement in both revenues and overall gross margin for the balance of the year. Let us
offer the following more specific comments on expectations for 1998:

1.We expect sequential increases in revenue from the second through fourth quarters, with ~25% - 30% of revenue
to be derived from Europe and the balance from North America. We expect revenue growth during the third quarter to
be driven by Storm's new product launches in the August to September timeframe. Growth during the fourth quarter will
continue to be driven by such new products with the benefit of a full quarter of sales plus the timing of the historically
strong holiday selling season. The largest downside risk is unknown market acceptance of these products plus cash
flow and letter of credit availability to ensure sufficient supply.

2.We expect significant margin improvement for the third quarter based on higher expected average selling prices of
Storm's new products as compared with Storm's second quarter product offering. For example, ImageWave and
TotalScan ended Q2 at effective street prices of $69 and $89 post-rebate, respectively. In contrast, we plan to offer the
ImageStudio and TotalScan Express products to range initially from $169 to $249. Consequently, we anticipate a gross
margin in the range of 20% to 25% for the third quarter and 25% to 28% for the fourth quarter.
In addition to an increase in our sales mix of higher priced, higher margin products, we also expect margin
improvement to be derived from operating efficiencies of producing an increased volume of product in Mexico versus
sourcing 100% of product from Taiwan as we have done in the past. Also, with an installed base of now over 1 million
customers combined with our processing of over 20,000 customer service phone calls and emails per month, we are
making progress in increasing our revenue contribution from our direct business at higher than average retail margins.
The largest risks to margins are: (a) lower than expected market acceptance of Storm's new products stimulating a
more rapid reduction in prices; and (b) higher than expected final production costs of Storm's new products.

Forecasting

When talking about events in the future, you need to
explain the degree of certainty (how sure are you the event
will happen the way you say it will).
• Certain: 100% chance to happen, there is no doubt
– definitely, I am sure, bound to, certainly, no other way
• Probable: Likely to happen (it can happen and looks like it will)
– probably, should, likely, highly likely, likelihood, likelihood is high
• Possible: can happen (remember that almost anything is possible)
– could, possible, may, a chance, could be, is a possibility
• Improbable: Not likely (it can happen but looks like it will not)
– unlikely, doubtful, very small chance, not seen before
• Impossible: 0% chance to happen, there is no doubt
– not a chance, never, not even . . ., unheard of, unprecedented


While it is not at all certain, we think it is highly probable. . .
Although it is not impossible, we think it is highly unlikely. . .
Cause, effect & purpose

All these words show a result from an action
• so, in order to, because, since, due to, this means, leading to, as a
result, resulting in, ending with,
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


Purpose: the reason or underlying data
Cause: the event
Effect: the result
Prices were reduced in order to deal with increased price
competition last quarter, leading to pressure on profit
margins.
p22
Tackling Problems

Consequences
•
•
•
•
Explaining results is often done in the context causes
If good things resulted, they are explained as part of a plan
If bad things resulted, they are explained as not part of a plan
Bad results are often explained in the context of outside
(environmental issues)
– “Increased price pressures from competitors caused lower profit
margins.“

Explain problems
• It is most important to make the core of the problem clear
• This sometimes may mean taking responsibility for the problem
• If the cause of a problem is not made clear by the speaker, the
audience will have no confidence in the speaker
p2-3
Unit 1

A good presentation is made up of
Awareness of the audience
• Who are they
• What do they expect
• How do they perceive you
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System
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•
•
•
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What are their needs and interests
What is their expertise
Planning: a clear structure and sense of timing
Organization: clear connections between different parts or points
Information: interesting and relevant to the audience
Impact: strong purpose or core point to start and end with
Delivery
• Clear, simple, easy to understand for the audience, fluent & flowing
• Natural and relaxed presentation style; setting audience at ease
• Correct use of pauses and emphasizes to make points
A good presentation is made up of (2)

Body language
• Effective use of gestures for emphasis of important points (don’t
overuse this or use it on less important points)
• Make eye contact with members of the audience and spread that
contact around (do not center on someone you feel is supportive of
you-he/she may actually be not supportive and you are wasting
your time)
• Show you are confident and relaxed (although stay professional
and never slip into informality)

Visual aids
• Keep them simple, clear easy to understand
• One visual aid should make only one point
• Match equipment with presentation (don’t overkill or underkill)
Video Presentation (pre)

Company
•
•
•
•

Westwood Brewery, London.
Old firm that makes beer in traditional way
Slowing sales
Created PR (Public Relations) position to improve image
Presenter
• Joanna Brookes, new PR Manager
• Responsible for changing firm’s image

Audience
• Top management
• Meeting to discuss corporate image of firm

Presentation
• Joanna is late; got the date wrong
• Begins meeting with a short presentation
Video Presentation



Complete a presentation checklist (p7)
How did she do?
Watch Joanna’s presentation again
• What are Joanna’s main points?
• What was the worst part of Joanna’s presentation?
Video Presentation(post)

Presentation organization
• Presentations usually follow the same format that most people are
used to
Introduction
Outline
main parts
(points)
Summary
clearly tell what
will be the main
idea of this
presentation
show what the
main parts of
the presentation
will be
1.
2.
3.
4.
make the order
very clear
quickly(short)
tell what the
overall main
point or points
are
Conclusion
try to state
presentation
in one line or
one word
open floor for
questions
Using time to organize (Tape)

Using time is a method everyone understands
• Chronological order, reverse chronological order

Listen to Peter Blake present background of firm

Using time:
In Progress
Future
these things are not yet begun
these things have already
begun but are not finished
these things can be possible plans
as well as real plans
these things may be changed,
but their direction is mostly
fixed already
Completed
these things have already been
done and cannot be changed
these things may have influence
on present company, but firm
cannot influence them
this part is like
an update
Presently
these things include facts
about the firm now
these things can include issues
that need to be addressed
these things may be the
start of new plans
which can be
changed
these things may include a
list of options and
contingency plans
Starting a presentation
Unit 2

Know your audience
• Are they senior or junior to you?
• Are they experts in the subject?
• How much do they already know about the presentation topic?
Four main audience types (with different needs 1-4)
Senior
Internal
Junior/Same

3name & position
3presentation title/subject
3presentation time length
3main parts to cover
3presentation title/subject
3purpose of presentation
3main parts to cover
3list of visual aids to use
3when is question time
3reference to the audience
External
1
2
3name & position
3presentation title/subject
3purpose of presentation
3presentation time length
3main parts to cover
3list of visual aids to use
3reference to the audience
3
3name & position
3presentation title/subject
3purpose of presentation
3presentation time length
3main parts to cover
3list of visual aids to use
3when is question time
3reference to the audience
4
Video Presentation (pre)

Company
• Standard Electronics
• Innovative high technology firm

Presenter
• Geoff Maxwell, factory manager
• Filling in for Sarah Peters who is ill today

Audience
• Business people who are touring the plant
• Before the tour, visitors watch a presentation

Presentation (two versions)
• 1. Geoff is not happy about filling in (he is too busy)
• 2. Georr is well prepared
Video Presentation

What does Geoff include in his introduction? (p12)
• Version 1
not clear
no organization

Version 2
history
main markets
news story
people
View version 2 again
• point out each time he uses one of the introduction points
Video Presentation(post)

Presentation introductions follow patterns that everyone is
experienced in listening to
• Do not deviate from accepted texts
• Base your text on what you have heard others say
Internal VS External (Tape)

These groups have different needs
Junior/Same
Senior
• Try to understand your audience as much as you can
• It is possible that special cases call for you to treat an audience in a
special way (senior internal, but presenting something new and
external--like quadrant 4)
Internal
External
don’t know you
know your topic
short on time
not many details
free to question
know you
have time
need details
wait for questions
1
2
don’t know you
know your topic
short on time
not many details
free to question
3
don’t know you
4
don’t know your topic
short on time
not many details
special question time
Linking presentation parts
Unit 3

Outlining is most useful when organizing your presentation
Company
Two ways to outline
People
Managers
Subordinates
Customers
Key accounts
Suppliers
managers
cash
quality
Money
Assets
Fixed
Intangible
quality
Cash
payments
cash
managers
Products
Quality
Training
Price
Costs
Competition
Video Presentation (pre)

Company
• Standard Electronics
• Innovative high technology firm

Presenter
• Geoff Maxwell, factory manager
• Filling in for Sarah Peters who is ill today

Audience
• Business people who are touring the plant
• Before the tour, visitors watch a presentation

Presentation (two versions)
• 1. Geoff is not happy about filling in (he is too busy)
• 2. Georr is well prepared
Video Presentation

Geoff Version 1
• What kind of organization is he using?

Geoff Version 2
• What are his three main points? (history, main markets people)
Video Presentation(post)

Effective presentation of a point
• Introduce it, say it, say it in other words (shorter)
• Do not repeat the same thing twice
When we look at cash
flow for the year, we
can see some problems.
Cash flow was down
10% for the year
compared to last year.
Action needs to
be taken to
increase cash flow.
Linking points (Tape)

The path of a point must be clear
• Lead the audience step by step
• You do not need linking words (many conjunctions sounds bad)

Parts of a point can be linked by:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sequencing/Ordering
Giving reasons/causes
Contrasting
Comparing
Contradicting
Summarizing
Concluding
Highlighting
Digressing
Giving examples
Generalizing
first, second; next, we can see; that leads to
therefore; so, as a result; that’s why
but; however
similarly; in the same way
in fact; actually
to sum up; in brief; in short; in other words
in conclusion; to conclude
in particular; especially; let me emphasize
by the way; in passing
for example; for instance; such as
usually; generally; as a rule; most often
Language
Unit 4

Reading a presentation presents some problems
• People can listen at a higher speed than they can speak
• People can easily daydream or be distracted by other things on
their minds
• People prefer the opportunity and appearance of interaction, even if
they do not really interact

Remember that a presentation should give more than what
the audience could read on their own
Blah blah blah blah
Blah blah blah blah
Use language to interest audience

Treat a presentation like speaking
to a small group
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Make eye contact around the room
Avoid complex sentence structures
Keep sentences short
Pause between points
Make information personal
Speak as if you are open to changes
Sound interested in what you are saying
Video Presentation (pre)

Organization
• Association of International Management (AIM) conference

Presenter
• Dr. Linden, management psychologist
• Presenting a research paper

Audience
• Management experts
• Attending an international conference, they can choose from
numerous presentations

Presentation
• Dr. Linden is reporting on research results
• Research involves leadership styles and international surveys
Video Presentation

Note Dr. Linden’s use of good language skills (p25)
• Version 1
Version 2
• Which version is most effective?
Video Presentation(post)

Generate Fog Index scores for Version 1 & 2
(transcripts on pp.75-76)
• Version 1
Version 2
• Fog Index F = 0.4(A+L)
F = Fog Index, A = Average length of sentences, L = number of long
words per 100 words-a long word has three or more syllables
excluding the endings -ed, -es, -ing
• A low Fog Index score means text is easier to understand
• A high Fog Index score means text is harder to understand
Using time to organize (Tape)

The personal touch
• Although an audience may have many people, each
one wants to be personally addressed by the presenter

Give more than what reading the paper can
Reading
long sentences
complex vocabulary
Complex structures
Impersonal
Presenting
short sentences
simple vocabulary
simple & clear structures
personal style
Unit 5
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Visual aids
Many people understand things visually
When you design visual aids
•
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•
•
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•
•
•
•
•
KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)
One visual aid should make one point
Visual aids should expand what you say
Data on visual aid must match what you are saying
Meaning of visual aid must be clear
Do not read from the visual aid
Design must be professional quality
Don’t over produce or under produce
Check early that your visual aids can be used at venue
Have a backup visual aid supply in case of emergency
Have a method to reference the visual aid clearly (a pointer)
Visual aid types
transparencies
screen
overhead projector
OHP
OHP with VGA LCD
panel
slides
movie projector
slide projector
video (VGA) projector
Visual aid types (2)
blackboard
whiteboard
marker
(“this marker is
out of ink“)
copier
copy machine
(xerox machine)
flip chart
printout
hard copy
handouts
column
area
Visual aid types (3)
using icons
bar
pie
3-D column
scatter (XY)
line
3-D line
flow chart
Video Presentation

Note Joanna’s use of visual aids (p30)
• Version 1
Version 2
• Which version is most effective?
Video Presentation(post)

Create a visual aid with care
• Don’t be too cute!
Don’t be too complex & slick
Making visual aids clear (Tape)
Effective visual aid design
Design so that
the flow is from
the top left to
the bottom right.
title clear
background color
makes data easy
to see
numbers to
clearly show value
different data
points easy
to differentiate
key is clear
axis clearly
labeled

Unit 6

Body language
Using non-verbal communication
• Body language can reinforce your points
• The wrong body language can confuse people
• In non-native English situations, body language is more important

Important parts of body language
• Eye contact: look directly at different people in the audience making
sure that you do this for all parts of the room
• Facial expression: smiles and frowns are universally understood by
all of us from infancy
• Hands: effective use, not overuse, of the hands can make a deep
impression on the audience as well as showing confidence
• Movement: moving away from the podium shows your strong
command of the topic as well as openness
• Posture: standing, as well as sitting, positions signal your interest in
the topic as well as self confidence
Video Presentation (pre)

Organization
• Academic Management Institute (AMI)
• Funded by government funds
• Facing budget cuts

Presenter
• Dr. Linden, management psychologist
• Responsible for budget; must discuss budget cuts

Audience
• Members of AMI staff; they are worried about job cuts

Presentation
• Dr. Linden wants to point out and discuss options

Video Presentation
Watch version 1 & 2 with NO SOUND
• Complete checklist on p37
• Version 1
Version 2
• Which version is most effective?

Video Presentation(post)
Watch video of news NO SOUND
• Try to guess what the topic is
eye contact
Body language examples
Body language examples (Tape)
facial expressions
hands
movement
posture
listening/considering
making a point
not formal enough
Finishing off
Unit 7

Effective ending is as important as the start
• The ending will leave the most recent impression on the audience
• This part is your opportunity to drive your points home while
preparing the ground for questions

Good ending should include
• A clear signal that the end is near
• Summary of main points; this must be clear, concise and short
• Conclusion
– This is what all the main points add up to equal; it is the result
– This often takes the form of a recommendation
• Question time, comments or discussion (depending on situation)
Drawing your conclusion is
pre planned and should
add up clearly.
The game is fixed before
hand, it is not about making
judgments at the time.
Point
Point
Point
Conclusion
walks like a
duck
talks like a
duck
looks like a
duck
it is a duck
Question time
Unit 8
Understand what quadrant the question is from
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Not all questions are questions
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•
•
•
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1 these questions must be answered
2 these question can be postponed
3 these questions should be answered
4 these questions can be avoided
Internal
Senior
•
•
•
•
Junior/Same
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1
3
2
4
Not understand presentation
Dislike presentation or presenter
Disagree with presenter
Need to ask questions (do it because they have to)
Your reactions will stay with audience (recency effect)
• Stay flexible, don’t take a strong stand
External

Answering question sequence
Handling questions
• Thank person for question; may comment (that’s a really good question)
– If question is complex you may take notes (not always good)
– Look relaxed and contemplative
• Take some time to think clearly
• Clarify the question
– This frames the question in the way you will answer it
– This method can be used to change the thrust of a hostile question
• Accept criticism in a positive way
– Remember, the questioner is only one person and his opinion is his only
– Nothing is perfect, so the thing you present is not perfect; everyone
knows this to be true and can relate to it
– Reacting to criticism will make people think it is true
• Reply positively
– Put everything in positive terms
• Check back with the questioner
– If questioner is extreme, you may check back, but the quickly take
another question; the audience will be sympathetic and in fact will not
like you to center on one person (sucking up the time)